Prime Minister Imran Khan Phone Call with Bill Gates on COVID-19 Pandemic
Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke to Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on 28 April 2020, to discuss the latest developments surrounding the COVID-19 response.
During the conversation, the Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Gates Foundation and other international partners during this unprecedented crisis and emphasized the continued urgency of the situation.
Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that Pakistan was making all efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic with a robust and coordinated response. He stress that Pakistan was facing a multiple challenge of overcoming the pandemic covid-19 and saving people. He underline that government had put together as 8 billion US dollars package to support the affected people and businesses. Steps taken by the government have helped in containing the spread of Coronavirus in Pakistan. The Prime Minister call for “Global Initiative on Debt Relief” for the developing countries in the same context.
Mr. Gates mentioned how COVID-19 was a threat across the world. He commended Pakistan’s efforts in protecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable populations.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bill Gates also discussed their shared priority of polio eradication. They discussed the important role that Pakistan’s polio staff and infrastructure are playing in the fight against COVID-19. The polio teams are supporting the training of frontline polio health workers on COVID-19, and using contact tracing, testing and communications methods to curb transmission. In the context of the Pandemic, they also discussed, that routine immunization programs for children especially polio vaccination cannot be ignored, as well as, the need for capacity enhancement of the National Institute of Health.
Islamabad
29 April 2020
